Statto's 5000th Post

[Statto]

subvert central — the label

the success of the subvert central forum has been that a group of like-minded people have come together, an international community of subverts with similar aims and hopes in music. the first fruit of this community was the proposed network, which had the ambitious aim of uniting the various individual projects into a functioning whole. unfortunately this scheme got bogged down in trivialities, in particular the failure of the network to agree even upon a name for itself. therefore blue proposed something more practical: to coordinate our efforts on a single project. to start a label.

i firmly believe that we should start up a subvert central label to help bring things in together a bit more.

we could all help fund it (those who are willing to be involved) and put out consistent subversive material. i'm sure that srd would get involved. i'm sure that we could make it a success.

i mean how many top notch artists hang out up here man?

the response to the initial thread was extremely positive as people recognised two things: firstly, a direct path along which we could move forward. secondly, a way to contribute without having to make too large a commitment. as blue outlined the various tasks involved in running a label, volunteers came forward.

so far, so good. but why would we want another label? a recent interview, conducted by the outlaw, with brett from the offshore label highlights some pertinent issues:

what would you say is the philosophy behind your label?

there are loads – challenge the status quo, give an outlet to amazing music, burn some goddamn bridges, keep things interesting and experimental, push forward drum & bass, do some crazy shit.

how does a label like yours find an audience?

i am not going to lie; it is extremely difficult. there are days when i wake up and think that i am wasting my time, effort and money. then i go to work and listen to the drivel that most dnb has become and think about those that support offshore and always have. it is really a grassroots type of deal. you can go on doa and do a search and you will find people that post about offshore regularly. those are the people that keep offshore going, just to know that people are out there that relate and really appreciate what offshore is trying to do.

in the current fertile atmosphere (here and elsewhere) a lot of exciting new music is being made. but far more music than the friendly labels — offshore, bassbin, inperspective, streetbeats, etc. — can possibly handle. at the present rate of release this music will appear in six months, a year, two years, if at all. the trouble is that running a label takes a lot of time and effort and the people involved already have plenty of things to do: making their own music, promoting their labels and events and, not least, working in proper jobs. and even more significantly: releasing records costs money and individuals have only so much.

at the moment these labels are kept afloat by enthusiasm. individuals label managers and crews fund the records, supported retrospectively by the small group of grassroots enthusiasts who buy them at £5 or £6 a time. occasionally a particular release may make a small profit, more often they won't. either way, after each record everything is set on hold until a label again has both the money and the time to release another record which the grassroots can then buy, and so on.

this is the standard top-down method by which labels are run, but it is clearly not very efficient. subvert central the label therefore takes the logical step and reverses the process. by working as a collective drawn from the grassroots we can overcome the usual obstacles. the collective puts the money up front, funding the records in advance, and thus the financial restraints on releasing records are reduced. by sharing out the tasks involved in running a label the obstacles of time and effort are also diminished. no one has to do too much work, no one has to pay or risk too much money.

the advantageous corollaries to this bottom-up structure are soon apparent. with ever more contributors the financial burden on each member of the collective is reduced to a negligible level and the usual market demands on a label are eliminated. while we of course hope that our records will be successful, it is not a matter of life and death for the label if they are not, since no one has too much at stake. thus, with no need to worry about sales figures, we can put out whatever stuff we want. formats may perhaps be adjusted to fit the needs of our main genre (drum and bass) – for instance, the ease with which a record can be utilised by working djs. but there is no need to compromise the music itself in any way. we can release the music we want to hear and that we truly believe in, without fear and without delay.

if so many people are willing to contribute money then maybe we can make this label as idealistic as possible???!

the sound of the future and the core of a new movement — subvert central!

we are a group trying to accomplish one thing: that is to get into the future.

[Statto]

managerial posts

current list of personnel
1. label manager — blue / code
2. promotions manager — exxon / b
3. press officer — phokus / esb / statto
4. artists — all subvert artists
5. someone in charge of manufacturing — 0=0 / jayraser
6. someone to do the artwork — stacks
7. some peeps to network
8. internet — scope / littlenemo / structure
9. financers — streetbeats / code / 0=0 / subvert massive

of course this list is not closed — the more people that are involved the better.

Statto
Subvert Central label business plan:
projected revenues.... £0 (we're doing this for the love!)
projected expenses... £1000 per release (minus income from previous release)
release schedules...... as soon and as often as we can afford it
advertising & press strategies... as much as possible

Code
I've finally settled on a solution to the banking problem.

Thanks to Beckett for the suggestion of opening an account in the North of Ireland...
Turns out I don't need an address in the North to do that - was just onto HSBC in Portadown.

So, the plan is to take a day off work and drive up there soon to set up the A/C.

My plan is also to open the account as a sole trader (less red-tape and expenses and I don't need an official accountant) trading under the name "Subvert Central".

So, that's the way it will be — unless anyone has any objections — which I won't listen to anyway.

[Statto]

various discussion posts

Blue (Sat Aug 16)
I firmly believe that we should start up a Subvert Central Label to help bring things in together a bit more.

We could all help fund it (those who are willing to be involved) and put out consistent subversive material. I'm sure that SRD would get involved. I'm sure that we could make it a success.

I mean how many top notch artists hang out up here man?

DISCUSS.................

Alpha Omega
It'll be good if everybody gets to remix each others work which maybe goes on the flipside of the main trak? So a Blue 12" has a Fanu remix on the b-side & the Fanu 12" has a Naphta remix & Naphta's 12" has a Blue remix,etc....Helps get exposure for the remixers & artists.

Also a sample cd that someone else mentioned could be started for sale with profits helping to fund releases & stuff.

EP format might be a better idea for the 1st couple releases with various artists on each ep. Maybe do a joint night with Beatjam where 1 or 2 of the artists on the ep dj at Beatjam alongside the Streetbeats residents & it's billed as an ep launch in conjunction with Streetbeats & Subvert Central?

Another idea – The name Freestyle, if not taken already, can be used as a name for a Bi-Monthly night playing all tempos of music under one roof at a small venue somewhere with dj's from all genres of the musical spectrum & once again be connected to the new label [Subvert Central presents Freestyle].

Code
We need to decide the first release (and maybe the second and third as well.)

Not so sure about this EP idea... would it not be better to start with a single, maybe featuring 2 artists??? And then after a few 12"s we could release an EP.

From the tunes I've heard that are unsigned (as yet), I would love to get "Swingers" by Alpha Omega.

After that, I'm not sure... Naphta's "U Ready" needs to see a release at some stage.

That would make for a very strong first 12".

Might be more sensible to have someone of higher profile than Naphta (in the eyes of the "scene") for the first release at least.

There's this sweet roller I have on CD by Equinox too (not sure of the name) it's track 3. In the same vein as "Rare Earth" by Paradox / Alaska. If this was paired with "Swingers" you'd be getting a very dancefloor orientated track and also a smoother number as well.

But I dunno, still have to hear any of the unreleased Streetbeats stuff and there's also CD's by Sileni and Fanu on the way to me.

Fracture and Neptune? Have a 6 tracker (all signed material) from you but there must be rakes of stuff that will never see the light of day? Have "A Glass World" or "Clouds Over Memphis" been signed yet??? Both of those are really, really top!

Alpha Omega
If out of the whole movement idea this is the fruits of our labours & it's successful then it's been well worth it in my eyes.
Bout time there was a proper label pushing proper diverse music without compromise!

Scope
The movement is still there and active

without the movement this wouldn't exist.

this label needs the movement behind it and the movement will continue to grow and become stronger.

Alpha Omega
If Code & Blue are gonna handle initial a&r duties then

1.Get a rosta of artists you want stuff from & post it on here or pm them & let them know what's needed

2.Set a deadline for stuff to be handed in (for the 1st release anyway)

3.Keep the 1st 2-3 releases as much 'named' artists as poss (u know who that includes – Equinox, Invaders, Breakage, Pieter K, ASC, Blue, Paradox, etc)

4.Try & get stuff remixed between the subvert artists a.s.a.p so future slots in the release schedule can be dealt with easily as guys can start on remixes now for something that might get released Feb-Mar 2004.

Basically get trax in a.s.a.p, get stuff remixed a.s.a.p (just a select few of course) & then get stuff to the dj's & on radio/internet & then talk to the distributors with a bag full of ammo so it's hard for them to resist taking you on.Blue will know about this side of things from SB/Srd.

But I also like the Subvert Collective name which could be a name of a series of e.p's like Groove chronicels, Enforcers, Here Come Trouble, Platinum Breaks & all that.

So the 1st release, if an e.p. could be called Subvert Collective vol.1.& has to have some kind of collaboration on it or remix by/of a subvert artist?

Code
Another thing label wise...

Recently there was an argument about what artists we would feature on the label...

i.e. would it only be artists that specialise in the "Subvert Style" or would we go for the odd contribution from people who are outside of the circle so to speak.

A lot of people seemed to think that we should stick to those who's music is naturally subverted, seeing as we really aren't worried about profits and seeing as losses can be covered by a multitude of people anyway (though obviously we'll be hoping for strong sales so that that won't be necessary).

Am I right to say that the majority of people have this opinion?
I know I'd be in favour. Though obviously we'd be releasing the Subverts with the highest profile first.

Blue? Where do you stand on this? I don't think we heard from you first time around?
If so many people are willing to contribute money then maybe we can make this label as idealistic as possible???!

[Statto]

ok so, i've finished

comments please

In the current fertile atmosphere (here and elsewhere) ...We can release the music we want to hear and that we truly believe in, without fear and without delay.

make that entire part the press release for the first sc record.

jolly good show old man.

Stacks

[Macc]

good work statto - and worth waiting for.

[strike]

well compiled

Through and understanable.

Simply,

Statto, this was well worth the wait man.
You are one helluva writer i tell you.

Hats off! to the Statto

badazfuck!

32(.

This must be the BEST EVER 5000th post on any forum!!

Respect Statto!

wow, that part about reversing the process makes so much sense, revolutionary!!!

Nice one, Statto

Very succinctly put Statto!

Nice one!

[Statto]

I fail to see the signifigance of such an article & how it relates to me?

[Statto]

I fail to see the signifigance of such an article & how it relates to me?

[noisemonkey]

big up Statto's wordsmithery. Another idea: as there are probably more DJ's on the forum than producers a Subvert Central night could feature loads of DJ's from the forum pushing the sound from all corners of the globe and sonic spectrum. Also more sharing of tunes between beat ranch peeps would be good..

big up Statto's wordsmithery. Another idea: as there are probably more DJ's on the forum than producers a Subvert Central night could feature loads of DJ's from the forum pushing the sound from all corners of the globe and sonic spectrum. Also more sharing of tunes between beat ranch peeps would be good..

Its a good idea but the problem you have is the whole distance issue we are fairly well spread out over the uk/globe

[subvert]

hurrah !!

sorry statts, been off around the world :/

[subvert]

statto - can you incorporate this into the other sticky thread - movement and label manifesto ??,

then we can unsticky this and return its title to 'statto's 5000th post'

great timing

[Statto]

statto - can you incorporate this into the other sticky thread - movement and label manifesto ??

done

then we can unsticky this and return its title to 'statto's 5000th post'

please do

great timing

well, actually, not all that

check this thread...
http://www.subvertcentral.com/forum/view...php?t=4707